Category: Dine Burlingame

  • Jazz at the Grill

    Broadway Grill continues to be a beacon of live jazz in B'game.  The Monday night jam at Max's Opera on the Bayfront hosted by KCSM DJ Chris Cortes is good too, but the Grill has much better food and ambiance.  Wednesday night saw recent Grammy winner Jamie Davis bring a swinging quartet to the restaurant.  That swelled to a sextet after another tenor sax player and trumpeter sat in for the second set and other notable guests took a turns at bass and guitar.

    Davis is the vocalist for the Count Basie Orchestra which just won a Best Large Jazz Ensemble Grammy last month for their latest album.  Great stuff and you can't complain about the (non-existent) cover charge.  Check out the Grill's music calendar here.  Music is generally happening three nights a week or more.

    Jamie Davis at Bway Grill

  • Kuma Nori: Something special in a Burlingame strip mall

    An SF Comicle food critic has once again drifted south to B'game for a Sunday section restaurant review.  They seem to like the downscale "strip mall" view of B'game's scene.  Back in November 2021 it was Soleil Ho reviewing Kaiseki in our one-and-only strip mall.  She (I think) has moved on to much more important woke reporting at the Chron, but Cesar Hernandez visited Kuma Nori several times and has written a balanced review:

    Chad and Monica Kaneshiro are some of the most singular chefs cooking on the Bay Area’s Peninsula. I constantly fantasize about the plump garlic shrimp and salty-sweet fried chicken plates from Diamond Head General Store, the restaurateurs’ casual Hawaiian spot in San Bruno. I was sad to see their Hawaii-inspired brunch restaurant Morning Wood close because it had one of the best loco mocos I’ve ever had.

    The good news is that the Kaneshiros are back with an intimate Japanese restaurant called Kuma Nori, located in a Burlingame strip mall. Refined comfort fare is the specialty at Kuma, which is loosely defined as a shokudo-style restaurant, a genre of casual hole-in-the-wall spots in Japan. If the categorization seems open-ended, that’s intentional; the chefs don’t want to be put in a box.

    Decadent comfort with massive portions is where Kuma dazzles. The piquant mentaiko crab pasta ($35) was a masterful remix that tasted like a spicy vodka sauce swirled with shiso oil and umami-rich fish eggs. Those little beads of roe clung onto the spaghetti like sequins. The secret to achieving such flavor is a concentrated dashi in the sauce. 

    You can click through to read further details on multiple dishes.  Kuma Nori doesn't take reservations and has 27 seats, so perhaps waiting a bit to let the Chron crowd visit would be wise.  Or pop up to San Bruno and check out the sister restaurant. 

  • ลาก่อน Narin Thai: 30 years of excellence

    ลาก่อน is Thai for "goodbye".  As of tomorrow, that is what we will be saying to Martin and Crystal, owners of Narin Thai on Park Rd.  After thirty-plus years of excellent food, excellent service and excellent prices, they are retiring.  Narin is the quintessential Mom & Pop business.  Martin cooks and Crystal handles the front.  That's it–just the two of them for lunch and dinner six days a week for more than thirty years.

    I can try to tally the number of Spicy Basil Chicken and Yellow Curry Prawn dishes I have had.  Thirty years is 1,500+ weeks–with weekly ordering, it's probably about 2,000 Spicy Basil Chickens, since I ordered two at a time.  I generally called ahead to see if the fantastic brown rice was available that day and if not; Crystal would whip it up for me.

    ขอบคุณ Crystal and Martin–Thank you.  Truly a "Best of Burlingame" business.Narin night

    Narin night

  • Backhaus: Sweet introduction

    According to the show of hands local realtor Raziel Ungar asked for at Friday's hosted event at Backhaus, I am one of the last people to clue into our newest bakery.  That's probably because most people are having lunch around the time I am finishing breakfast and from what I hear, Backhaus can be sold out by then.  Raziel is one of the most active realtors in town and loves to bring his clients together for events like movies and pie giveaways.  His latest event brought about 100 people to Backhaus for a talk and tasting with co-owner Anne Moser.

    Anne gave us the story of how she and her husband Robert started baking at home, then moved to Kitchentown, onward to the B'game Farmer's Market and the CSM market, then to a space on 3rd Ave in San Mateo and now to a larger, more flexible space here at 261 California Dr.  The space was our first movie theater, George Roy's Photoplay that opened in 1913, according to Russ Cohen's article in this quarter's Burlingame Historical Society newsletter.

    After extensive, and I mean really extensive, Q&A that Anne handled with ease, Raziel asked for a show of hands as to who had bought bread and pastries from Backhaus at each step of the journey.  When he finally asked for a show of hands as to who was a first-timer on Friday, I was in the tiny minority that raised their hands.  Raziel is a big supporter of Copenhagen as well and his annual pie event at Thanksgiving is a B'game tradition.  Baking sounds like an arduous task since each day starts at 3am so that the goods are ready for the 7:30 opening.  After tasting the Country Bread at the event, I may have to get up early to snag some.  Here's Raziel and Anne making the pitch.

    Raziel and Ann

  • Dine B’game: The old, the new and the future

    It was a big week for Burlingame dining news starting with a nice piece in the Daily Journal about CJ's Deli celebrating 25 years of local sandwich making.  

    CJ’s came under new management in 2017 when Gus Kiniris — a longtime restaurateur and manager at community staple Westlake Original Joe’s — purchased the shop from its original owners, the Winters family.  After purchasing the establishment, Kiniris slimmed the menu down to streamline the ordering process — but retained the well-loved staples.

    “There were 60 items. Guests would walk in, first-timers … and [get] kind of overwhelmed by the menu,” he said. “So I changed the menu a little while back, dropped it down to about 15 signature items, the top items that have sold over the last 20 years.

    And CJ's has been holding the line on prices–$9.99 and $10.99.  That's rare and gratifying to see.  Next up was the opening of Backhaus–not to be confused with someone's ADU.  The first location in San Mateo has been getting rave reviews for some time, and this piece in the DJ describes the addition of the new B'game location last Tuesday.  In addition to baked goods, breakfast will be served on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.  CEO Anne Moser noted

    “When we found this space, we decided if we move our pastry team over here, we then have space still for a kitchen to do the sit-down food for people that we want to do, and then our bread team can take over the other location,” Moser said. “So we still bake everything and make everything within our two locations.”

    The new storefront building has a long history in the community, originally as Burlingame’s first movie theater, and the Backhaus team is excited to “bring new life to the space” for the Bay Area community.

    I have heard the "first movie theater" claim before, but I think it needs more research.  Neither my 1928 nor 1941 city directories list the address, but by 1952 it was The Tropics cocktail lounge.  The Peninsula (later Fox) Theater on the Avenew opened in 1926.  Early in my time in the Bay Area (which started in 1981) the Backhaus building was Route 66 which I really miss.  Here is a fun blast-from-the-past out of the DJ archives.  I'm glad to see it put to good use now.

    Continuing on into the future, the talk of a new, upscale restaurant in the partially preserved Old Post Office was confirmed by a press release from the developers, Dostart and Sares Regis, this week. Bacchus Management Group have signed a lease for the historic space that was the classic PO lobby.  Bacchus operates Spruce, Selby's and the Village Pub so expectations are running high for the yet-to-be-named B'game operation.  We are just past two years into construction as noted here.  The lease is for 8,000 square feet, but I was unable to get an estimate of how many indoor and outdoor seats that will translate into.  Rendering are getting better every year–check out how realistic this one is from Dostart!  The marble walls are accurate and notice the outdoor seating!

    220 Park Rendering2 Dostart

  • Filling up at Twelvemonth

    The makeover of the historic Steelhead Brewery space (once an early tire shop as part of B'game's Auto Row) has captivated locals' interest for more than a year.  We watched the patio take shape last June here.  I finally got around to checking out the new restaurant, Twelvemonth, with my regular dinner companion.  It's a huge space and has been very tastefully redone, especially the new bar with windows out to the patio and Lorton Ave.  The bar feels like an indoor/outdoor space even though it is not, and the mix of seating and soft drums and bass background makes for a very relaxing vibe.  There's a great cocktail list while the wine list is a work-in-progress with a Central Coast core.  Naturally, I went BYOB and corkage was a reasonable $20.

    As a certified seafood lover and no stranger to beef, lamb, pork, etc I am pleased to report that my main concern about going to a vegan restaurant was resolved.  With the house salad, the mushrooms (the night's winner) and two other plates, the two of us were satisfied.  No doggie bag, but no regrets either.  On the plus side, restaurants with meat and seafood on the menu have had to deal with the effects of the Inflation Production Act and we are seeing entrees moving past $40 into the $50 range in town.  Not at Twelvemonth.  In an era when the term itself is confusing, I would call it "affordable".

    The main dining space has been fully refreshed with a new ceiling, lights, etc.  The row of two-tops in front of the kitchen are a bit tight which is odd given how much space there is overall.  The hard surfaces make for a noisy meal and the staff is still settling in, but the restaurant looks like it will be around for a while and the bar/patio is likely to be a go-to spot for our long outdoor season.  Here's the bar.

    Twelvemonth bar

     

  • Retro Cool Ice Cream in B’game

    Mercury News reporters Linda Zavoral and Jessica Yadegaran put on some miles (and possibly some pounds) while building a list of the 10 beloved Bay Area ice cream shops, from the classic to the eclectic.  From Orinda and Pleasanton to San Jose to B'game where they noted Preston's celebrated its 75th anniversary last year:

    RETRO COOL: Preston’s Candy & Ice Cream, Burlingame

    The vintage signs outside and the checkerboard floor inside are reason enough to put Preston’s on any list of beloved ice cream parlors. It’s a look that transports you to yesteryear. New owner Javier Santiago, a career chocolatier, bought the iconic shop recently from longtime owner Irene Preston and vowed to keep making her customers’ nostalgic favorites — honeycomb, peanut brittle, pecan turtles — while making a name for himself with his contemporary chocolate bars under the Javier Confectionery brand.

    Santiago is also keeping the ice cream tradition alive. The shop scoops 20 to 30 flavors of Loard’s ice cream ($4.95 for a small cone or cup, $5.95 medium), and he’s making the often-requested Presti Bars ($5.65), ice cream sandwiched between two freshly baked cookies and covered in chocolate. The bars come in several flavors, including vanilla, burgundy cherry and espresso.

    The scoop: The top seller is the Mint Chip ice cream, and it’s easy to see why. Preston’s makes the mint chocolate candy, then Loard’s uses that to create this custom flavor for Preston’s.

    My first paycheck job was at Friendly's where I was a short order cook, washed dishes, mowed the lawn and, yes, scooped a lot of ice cream.  Black raspberry was my favorite.  I'll have to stop into Preston's and see if they have some!  Kudos to Javier on a nice press hit.

    Prestons sign

  • The BAAZ is back–for a couple of weeks

    With a hat tip to Thin Lizzy, here is an ode to the Burlingame Avenue Autonomous Zone–the BAAZ:

    Guess who just got back today?The wild-eyed BAAZ that had been awayHaven't changed, had much to sayBut man, I still think them blocks are crazyThey were askin' if you were aroundHow you was, where you could be foundI told 'em you were livin' downtownDrivin' all the merchants crazy
    The BAAZ is back in town (the BAAZ is back in town)
    I said (the BAAZ is back in town)(TheBAAZ is back in town)The BAAZ is back in town…ow..ow.owwn
     
    As reported in the Daily Journal here, the council has voted to bring back the BAAZ for two weeks in August–exactly three years after it was stopped as we noted here.
     
    The closure will take up two blocks of Burlingame Avenue east of Primrose Road, west of Lorton Avenue and a small portion of Park Road. The Park Road segment will be a small portion of the road ending before the city-owned parking lot, so vehicles will be able to park or turn around. The council also agreed to start the two-week street closure after the Burlingame on the Avenue festival, Aug. 19, which is hosted by the Chamber or Commerce, and reopen the streets Labor Day, Sept. 2.
     
    There was council commentary on the thing we need most on the Avenew–live music.  I'm not sure it needs to be taxpayer subsidized beyond waiving the entertainment permit and encroachment permit fees, but 5 grand is a modest amount either way:
     
    (Council member Emily) Beach said the city could work with the downtown businesses and the Chamber of Commerce to provide a musical ambiance the remaining two weekends.  “Quite frankly, the smaller single [or] duo instrumental might create exactly the right ambiance as opposed to a big loud band that some people may like the style and some people not like the style,” Beach said.

    One option, she suggested, would be for the city to set aside $5,000 to match restaurants or businesses who may want to hire a small band for the night and then the city would reimburse the business up to $500.

    Mark your calendars for Art on the Ave Aug 19-20 followed by two weeks of strolling the BAAZ for dining, tippling and hopefully some good music.  Maybe we will even see our guitar-strumming council member out busking on the Ave.

  • B’game Dining: Some of the 100 Best?

    What to make of the latest Yelp restaurant scores?  In Yelp's opinion we are rocking the free world with two of the top restaurants in……America?  You might ask "Where are they?"  I did.  SFGate is reporting on them: 

    The best restaurants in the Bay Area are in Burlingame, according to Yelp. The business review platform released its 10th annual Top 100 Places to Eat in America list, which featured Burlingame businesses Gigi's Cafe and Curry Hyuga as the only Bay Area restaurants mentioned in the ranking.

    Gigi's Cafe, which snagged No. 14 on the list, features a selection of specialty items from the Sriracha hot chicken sandwich to a classic BLT. The 6-year-old shop is known for its generously packed sandwiches but also offers soups and salads for those with a smaller appetite.

    Back on Broadway–not the esteemed Avenue– we learn

    Less than 2 miles from Gigi's Cafe is Curry Hyuga, a Japanese curry restaurant that ranked 55th on Yelp’s list.

    I wanted to try Curry Hyuga early in its existence, but that was Covid-time and they were only doing take-out on a night when I wanted to dine-in.  Looks like a retry is in order.  Who knew?  B'game is a dining destination. My reviews to follow. 

  • Dine B’game: 3 top-rated choices on Opentable

    I don't really know how good the Opentable surveys of diners' ratings are statistically speaking, but from the company our three B'game winners this month are in, it seems valid to me.  Last Sunday's Comicle profiled the 15 best restaurants in Palo Alto.  I doubt we will be seeing a similar piece on B'game restaurants soon, but who knows?  In the interim, the Opentable Top 10 has three from our little town.  Rocca, Cafe Figaro and Velvet 48 made the list.  It carries some cred with me mostly because the out-of-town winners included 888 Ristorante in San Carlos, Evvia in PA, and Pausa in San Mateo.  I've only been to 888 once and liked it a lot with good value for money, but Evvia and Pausa are long-term winners in my book.

    Save yourself the trek to Palo Alto by giving these three B'gamers a try.  I'm a little surprised Park & Howard didn't make the list, so perhaps a bit of prodding from their wait staff can boost their results.  And Broadway Grill is on a definite upward trend as well.  Again, not sure about the statistics, but it's important to dine Burlingame when you can.

The Burlingame Voice

Dedicated to Empowering and Informing the Burlingame Community

RECENT COMMENTS

RECENT POSTS

CATEGORIES

ABOUT THE VOICE

The Burlingame Voice is dedicated to informing and empowering the Burlingame community.  Our blog is a public forum for the discussion of issues that relate to Burlingame, California.  Opinions posted on the Burlingame Voice are those of the poster and commenter and not necessarily the opinion of the Editorial Board.  Comments are subject to the Terms of Use.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

All content subject to Copyright 2003-2026